Firstly I would like to thank Akoustyx for sending this S-6 sample for review.
*disclaimer: This sample was provided for the purpose of writing a review, no incentive was given to write a favourable review. All opinions expressed are my own subjective findings
Gear Used:
iBasso DX200 > S6
JDS Labs Atom DAC+ > Singxer SA-1 > S6
Specs:
• Type • In-Ear Universal Fit
• Transducer • Planar Magnet
• Magnets • Neodymium N50 (Front & Rear)
• Frequency Response • 10 – 44,000Hz
• Impedance • 18Ω @ 1kHz
• Sensitivity • 108dB
• Connectors • MMCX Gen-2 (Micro Miniature Coaxial) connectors
• Cable • Titanium Kevlar mono crystalline OFC (Oxygen Free Copper)
• Length • 1.2M (4.0ft)
https://akoustyx.com/products/s6
Packaging, Build Quality and Accessories
The Akoustyx S-6 come in a small black rectangular box, with a render of the IEM’s on the front and a list of features along with specs listed on the back. It’s a simple outer packaging, inside this you’ll find a sturdy inner box that holds the IEM’s securely in place via a foam insert. Underneath the insert you’ll find the accessories, the packaging may not be lavish but it serves the purpose of showing what the item is along with keeping them secure during shipping.
The build quality is good overall, the housings are made from a sturdy titanium-oxide coated alloy and have polymer moulding where the MMCX connector sits. The MMCX connector is tight and I can’t see any issues in the long run here. The cable isn’t hugely thick, but it is a little stiff (probably due to the titanium Kevlar shielding). Overall I can’t comment on how long these will last, but they have held up to daily use for a few weeks and still look brand new, they do feel well put together.
The S-6 come with a good array of eartips, you get S, M and L along with bi-flange tips in silicone, along with S, M and L foam tips. You get a selection of Surefire earlock wings, I personally don’t use these as they fit well without but I can see these being beneficial for a more secure fit for some. Last but not least you get the signature Akoustyx neoprene carry case, I really like this case as it is small, compact and lightweight whilst also providing a good level of protection for the earphones. A good selection of accessories is included with the S-6.
Comfort, Fit and Isolation
The Akoustyx S-6 are small and lightweight, with a barrel shaped body, it’s easy to achieve and comfortable fit with this style of earphone and I never found any comfort issues. The one thing truly holding them back is the cable, it’s a little too stiff and doesn’t like to stay where you want it to. Due to this, there is also quite a lot of cable noise if you wear them straight down, I found myself having to wear them with the cable routed over the top of my ear to fix this. It is an easy fix, but still slightly annoying.
These can be fit shallow or deep, due to the housing shape, so it’s down to you on how far you insert them. They fit well and don’t fall out, you can also try some of the Surefire wings to get an even more secure fit if you need it, but just with normal tips I didn’t find any fit issues.
Isolation is really good on the S-6, perfect for noisy commutes and daily use they effectively block out quite an impressive amount of outside noise. No complaints on the isolation front, just the cable noise when wearing them straight down.
Sound
Lows: The Akoustyx S-6 use a planar magnetic driver, but unlike most full-size planar headphones, the bass response isn’t linear to 1kHZ – instead you get a mild sub-bass lift on the S-6 that gives the sound some body. There is good punch and dynamics whilst digging deep into the sub-bass without suffering from sharp roll-off. Kick drums are punchy, with great body backing up the initial kick giving them a realistic tonality.
The S-6 seem to handle well recorded music best, I know this should go without saying, but they do seem to be a little harsh when it comes to less-than-ideal recordings. I feel this is to do with the upper-midrange peak masking some of the fullness of the sound. The transition into the midrange is handled very well, there is no loss of detail, or added fullness to the lower midrange.
Midrange: The lower midrange sounds excellent, there is good tone to lower male vocals, and guitars have impressive levels of detail. Each instrument occupies its own space but with good cohesion, subtle intricacies in tracks are easy to pick out and on a technical note the midrange sounds very impressive.
However it is in the upper midrange where the S-6 begin to suffer a little, they have a peak that can introduce a little fatigue during certain tracks. The fullness of the bass is counteracted by a forward upper midrange that causes certain vocals and guitars to sound a little thin in tonality and this can throw off the overall balance a bit.
Highs: The treble region is very good on the Akoustyx S-6, it is airy and crisp without being upfront and in your face. There is great extension with soft roll off towards the top so you don’t miss out on any of the finer details. The top end is very refined and smooth, yet packs an impressive amount of detail, all with a good level of presence. If anything they are ever so slightly pushed back in the mix, which does accentuate the upper midrange peak, however this does mean that the treble isn’t fatiguing.
Soundstaging and Instrument Separation
The soundstage on the S-6 is fairly wide with some out of head experiences to be had, there is also good height so it’s easy to place instruments within a space.
Instrument separation is good on most tracks, the upper midrange peak can however cause some congestion when the mix becomes more complex (most noticeable on heavier tracks).
Conclusion
My experiences with Akoustyx have been mixed, but I do think they have a good team behind them that know how to tune a good earphone. The S-6 is an interesting model, due to the fact that there are not a lot of planar earphones out there currently.
However, these still are not what I would call perfect, on some tracks the S-6 sound excellent with realistic bass kicks that have great body and articulation, a detailed and open midrange and slightly soft but well extended treble. But then the wrong track shows up and highlights the shortcomings of the S-6, mainly an overpowering upper midrange that can make the sound quite fatiguing.
These are not as good an all-rounder as the KiiBOOM Evoke I recently reviewed, and as such I cannot highly recommend them in the same way, but I will commend Akoustyx on the S-6. This is not an earphone that is easy to build or tune (small form factor planar magnetic), but they have done a mostly great job and technically there are areas where they excel.
Sound Perfection Rating: 6/10 (A commendable effort, with certain aspects being excellent, but others that create some fatigue)
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